On the night of November 10, 2026, Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 155 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones over nine regions of the country, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The units were recorded over the Novgorod, Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk, Kaluga, Oryol, and Smolensk regions, as well as the Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Crimea. The heaviest air defense activity occurred in the northwest: 43 drones were downed over the Smolensk Region alone, according to Governor Vasily Anokhin. Simultaneously, emergency flight restrictions have been introduced in the northwestern air zone, and the “Kover” (Carpet) plan is in effect at Pulkovo Airport.
Consequences on the Ground: One Injured in Smolensk and Damaged Facilities
In Smolensk, one person was injured by falling drone debris — the man has been hospitalized, and his condition is assessed as satisfactory. In the Dorogobuzh municipal district, drone debris damaged a garage cooperative and several cars. The head of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, reported that air defense and mobile fire groups repelled the attack and neutralized eight drones. In response, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, four power substations in Ukraine were struck during the night, along with two dry cargo ships and one tanker.
Transit Through Tver: Reports of Low-Altitude Flight
Residents of Tver and its suburbs, as well as monitoring channels, report the flight of groups of fixed-wing strike drones over the Upper Volga region. According to their descriptions, most of the units bypass the regional center without striking the city and move in a steady formation at a low altitude further inland, heading north and northwest. The characteristic sound of two-stroke engines, according to eyewitnesses, could be heard in the suburban zone. It is important to note that the Tver Region is not on the list of nine regions named by the Russian Defense Ministry in its morning report; therefore, the reports of flights over Tver are currently based on local accounts and have not been confirmed by the official department summary.
Three Main Vectors: St. Petersburg, Novgorod, or Bypassing Moscow
The location of the Tver Region in a strategic wedge between the Moscow hub and the Northwestern Federal District makes it a likely transit corridor. Analysts identify three possible final targets. The first vector is the Leningrad Region and St. Petersburg: fuel and energy hubs (Kirishi, Ust-Luga), the Bronka port, and military production facilities; restrictions at Pulkovo confirm the persistent threat in this direction. The second is the military aviation infrastructure of the Novgorod region, in particular the “Soltsy” airfield. The third is a bypass maneuver to the north of the Moscow region to circumvent the dense southern and western Moscow air defense ring, allowing attacks on logistics and defense objects from less protected angles. However, according to Fontanka, the drones did not reach the Moscow region itself last night.
Why the Upper Volga is Suitable for “Blind” Transit
The route through the Tver Region is determined by the region's terrain and hydrography. The valleys of the Volga and Tverza rivers, as well as the Ivankovo and Rybinsk reservoirs, allow autonomous optical and altimeter-based drone systems to fly at ultra-low altitudes — estimated in the 40–80 meter range. The forested, uninhabited terrain masks the radar signature of low-flying composite aircraft from stationary radar stations, and the massive area of forest tracts makes it impossible to deploy a continuous band of anti-aircraft crews; therefore, fire against drones is conducted locally around guarded objects.
What Is Happening in the Air Right Now
The night raid is distributed in nature: interceptor launches and small arms fire from mobile combat groups are being recorded in the flight path, and the civilian GPS/GLONASS signal is being jammed as an emergency measure in regions along the route, causing failures in navigation and tracking services. The situation continues to develop: as they move north, military-industrial complex facilities, as well as logistics and energy hubs, may come under attack. Civilian services in neighboring regions have been ordered to be on high alert.
